Buried cable, such as extensively used by telephone companies around the world, must eventually surface. Most commonly, buried cable surfaces in the vicinity of residential areas, where it is interconnected to distribution wires ending in homes and businesses. At the point of interface, ease of access is important so that changes may be efficiently accomplished by the installation personnel of the telephone company. In addition, it is necessary that the interface terminal be as unobtrusive as possible in order not to disfigure the urban landscape.
The above-mentioned two requirements are reconciled in the buried cable terminal subject of the present invention. The present invention provides a relatively slim terminal post that, in addition to providing for relatively easy interconnection by telephone company craftspeople, satisfies the necessary requirement that the terminal may move up and down relative to the terminal cable inside. This movement of the housing occurs due to severe seasonal temperature variations. The cable, buried deeper in the ground, is not affected appreciably and does not move in unison with the housing. If the relative movement were not provided for, rupture of the cable and disconnection will ensue.
The present invention thus provides a terminal post housing for wire connector blocks and the like, comprising a hollow housing having a removable front part and a back part, one of said front and back parts having a vertical arcuate channel in its outer surface proximate and parallel to its edge, adapted to receive and engage, by rotation relative to the other of said front and back parts into closed position, a bead of compatible shape and cross-section along at least a portion of an opposite edge of said other part and, inside said terminal post housing a vertical panel or frame (for supporting said wire connector blocks and the like) hinged at one vertical edge thereof to said back part of the housing such as to permit substantial frontal access to its back side when said front part is removed.